Arthur m



A. M. ALLEN.

Toy Propeller.

7,725 haw/0Z0 Patented Jany 25, 1870.

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Letters Patent N6. 99,127, dated January 25, 1s7o.

TOY PROPELLER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, ARTHUR M ALLEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toy Propellers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will. enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which drawing- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improvement partly in section.

Figure 2 is a top view.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to toy propeller; and

It consists- First, in a combination of vibrating-mechanism with a toy propeller, in such a manner as to give to the part of the fi'ame which contains the guiding-wheel or wheels a vibrating or oscillating motion from side to side as the toy is propelled by its spring or other movmg power. 4

Second, in so arranging such vibrating-mechanism that the propeller can be caused, at the'same'time, to

move on a curve.

I have, in this example of my invention, applied it to a'toy propeller, of the kind known as a toy velocipede; but it can be applied to any other kind of toy of the reach B, his hands being secured to the tillerbar 0, and his feet to the treadles D. The limbs of the figure are properly jointed, to enable it to be placed in the desired position, and to allow its legs to accommodate themselves to the motions of the treadles.

The reach B extends over the driving or rear axle E, and is connected with the frame of that portion of the apparatus by means of a pivot, l placed so as to allow the guiding-wheel to be vibrated laterally to and fro, by the vibrating mechanism, hereinafter described, while the toy is being propelled by the spring or other power, which imparts motion to it.

The toy here shown is moved by spring-power, opcrating in the usual manner, by a train of wheels G H upon a pinion, I, which is fast upon the driving-axle E. The location of the spring is shown in dotted outlines in fig. 2.

The wheels G H are mounted in the frame J, which constitutesboth a box for the spring-power, and for its train of gears, and a frame-for connecting the guiding-wheel and its frame with the rear or driving-portion of the toy, the axle E and frame J being so connected that the frame cannot move on the axle, bnt the latter can turn in the frame.

In this example of my invention, the vibratingmechanism consists of a crank-pin, placed on the outside of the driving-wheel L, on which pin' is placed one end of a bent rod, M, whose other end is secured at right angles to the reach B, as shown in the drawing. 'The bent rod, being operated by the rotatiim of the crank, causes a vibratory movement to be imparted to the reach or frame of the guiding-wheel. The end of said bent rod M isv connected to the reach by inserting the same into one of a series of holes, T, made in the reach for that purpose. One of said holes T is in the centre of the reach, and the others are on opposite sides of the centre, at varying distances therefrom. I My object in thus arranging the holes T is to cause the toy to move in a general straight course, when the connection or arm M is placed in line with the centre of the reach, and to move on a curve, either to the rightor left, when said connection is attached to the reach 13 at one side, to the right or left of its centre, the vibratory motion imparted to the reach, and through it to the frame of the guiding-wheel, continuing the same in either case.

Instead of this way of effecting vibration, I can produce it directly from the axle E, or from any axle of the driving-mechanism, by means of a wheel placed on such axle, having either an irregular periphery, or a cam-groove 011 its face, in combination with a bar, rigidly secured to the reach, that end of the bar which works against or in the wheel having a pin and roller I thereon to prevent friction. By this modification, I can produce intervals between successive vibrations, and also make them more or less sudden or abrupt, according to the form given to the cam or operatingsurface of .the wheel.

Another mode of efiecting'this motion is by means of a crank on each end of one of the axles of the driv ingmechanism, to whichmotion is given through cords running over pulleys, which are placed on the frame of the driving-mechanism, and go thence to the reach, to which they are secured.

I can also produce this vibratory movement by means of toggle-levers, one end of which is attached to a bar, extending laterally from the frame of the driving-mechanism, and the other end secured to the frame of the guiding-wheel or wheels, the desired vibratory motion being produced by a crank on one of the axles of the driving-mechanism, connected, by a rod to the centre of said toggle-levers.

ranging such wheel to revolve in a slot made in the.

reach or frame of the guiding-wheel.

The operation of thevibrating-mechanism, whether its motion is obtained from the driving-wheel or from the axle, or from one of the train of gear-wheels, is as follows:

The crank-pin, by means of the bent rod, imparts a vibratory motion from side to-side to the reach B; that is to say, to the frame of the guiding-wheel, whereby the direction of the wheelie changed while the toy is being propelled, and the toy appears as though it steered itself.

That part of my invention which relates to looking the reach and guiding-wheel to the frame of the dn'ving-portion of the propeller is shown in fig. 2, as:.I will now explain.

When my vibrating-attachment is disconnected from the machine,.there is nothing to control the direction of its movement, since the'two parts are free to turn on the pivotal point at which the reach is at tached to'the driving-part. I obviate this diffioult-y by providing a hole, U, in the centre of the reach, behind the pivot F, communicating \vitha hole in the centre of the frame of the driving-mechanism, into which hole I insert a locking-pin, V, so as to secure the front and rear parts'of the propeller to each other in the same straight line, thereby causing the apparatns to move-in a right line.

I also provide othen holes W W on either side of thecentre of the reach, at the same distance from the pivot F as the distance of the hole U from said pivot, and by inserting the pin through one or the other of said holes W, I can look the forward and rear parts at an angle, and compel the toy to move in a curve t0 the right or left. I do not confine myself to any particular method of locking these parts together, as any detent may bensedfor that purpose.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a toy propeller, of vibrating-mechanism, operated either by the propellingpower of the toy, or by other motor, connected with the toy, so as to imitate the motion ordinarily given to the guiding-wheel, by steering, substantially as de- "scribed.

This specification signed by me, this 11th day of December, 1869.

ARTHUR M. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

